Shiny Object Syndrome, Self-Renewal, And More
5 eye-openers to kickstart 2024
Hello reader,
Wishing you a very happy new year, and a warm welcome to the first piece of 2024.
Here are 5 really cool ideas to begin the year with a first-ball helicopter shot:
Nuisance Influencers: Many people would rather be hated than unknown. In Ancient Greece, Herostratus burned down the Temple of Artemis purely so he’d be remembered. Now we have “nuisance influencers” who stream themselves committing crimes, harassing people, or just creating controversy for the heck of it- purely so they can capture attention.
AI & Media: Here’s an ominous possibility- by 2025, most stuff we see online will be written using AI and might push journalists out of business. The worrying thing is that this isn’t about “efficiency”, but about pushing out humans who may question the powers that be through independent journalism. Once the powerful can control what’s written online, they can shape what the masses think- while the common (wo)man finds it ever more difficult to tell what’s real and slowly loses their ability to think critically. This makes people easier to manipulate- which is the best-case scenario for corporations.
Full Reset: The German military in WW2 was extremely strong…BECAUSE it was fully destroyed at the end of WW1! It sounds paradoxical but it gave the Germans an immense hidden advantage- the ability to start from scratch and use the latest technology to build a powerful, modern force…while the French were stuck with 1900-era equipment and Britain had to literally pull out shitty tanks that had been rotting in their museums for the war! A full reset might seem like a tragedy but offers a major advantage- of not being held back by the past and letting go of the outdated.
Shiny Object Syndrome: We’re drawn to whatever’s new because, in our evolutionary history, new info tended to matter. But now it doesn’t, because 99% of new info is clickbait, mass-produced, and rushed out to exploit our attraction to novelty. So stop chasing the new and seek info that’s stood the test of time. That’s why I’m a big proponent of reading old books and ideas that have stood the test of centuries.
Self-Renewal: One quote I’ve come to love is “To be interesting, be interested”. No wonder the most interesting people are the ones who are constantly picking up new ideas, challenging themselves to think, and growing constantly. The key to self-renewal is to keep learning till one’s last breath. You may lose your ambition, but you must not lose your zest. Read this beautiful piece, whose author walked the talk by getting a new job at 77!
That’s it for the day, friends. Looking for more intriguing ideas? Check out: